In Broadcast Booking Wars, A Shift In Power

TV news booking wars are nothing new, but on the broadcast side of things there is something of a tidal shift. With “Good Morning America” topping “Today,” and most networks now reluctant to give big payouts for exclusive stories, the big “gets” are less predictable.

Today recently lost Amanda Knox, the student who was jailed in Italy for the stabbing death of her roommate, to ABC. Sources say NBC’s Matt Lauer was working hard to land Knox, whose memoir hits April 30, the same day ABC rolls out Diane Sawyer‘s Knox interview across broadcasts including GMA and a primetime special. “I have had at least two book publishers tell me that they think Diane Sawyer sells books,” says one source, citing her 2012 sit-down with kidnap victim Jaycee Dugard, whose memoir sold close to 200,000 on its release date.

And while exposure matters, bookings often come down to an emotional connection with the anchor. “Jaycee felt Diane’s empathy” when the two met as part of the courting process, says Dugard’s publicist Nancy Seltzer.

Book promotion is the new “licensing fee,” and ABC is more game to provide coverage on multiple programs and platforms than NBC has been.

Subscribe to Adweek

Featured Courses

Facebook MarketingBuild a fan base and grow your business on FacebookLearn more >Google AnalyticsMaster Google Analytics to build traffic and increase revenue for your brandLearn more >Content ManagementCreate, edit, and publish content using CMS platformsLearn more >Public Relations: Build Your PortfolioMaster the key documents you need to succeed in PRLearn more >See more Courses >